Fruit handling and sorting apparatus



IN VEN TOR 2 Sh'eets-Sheet l Bww.

ATTORNEYS A. JOHNSON FRUIT HANDLING AND SORTING APPARATUS Filed Jan.

Dee, 23, 1924.

WITNESSES A. JOHNSON FRUIT HANDLING AND SORTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WMM/Q6' A TTORNE YS WITNESSES Patented lllee. 23, 1924.

lTE

jea'rar ANDREW JOHNSON, OF BREWSTER, VIASHINGTON.

FRUIT HANDLING AND SORTING APPARATUS.

Application led January To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW loi-inscri, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brewster, in the county of Okanogan and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit Handling and Sorting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This inventon relates to an apparatus designed to facilitate sorting and packing of fruit such as apples or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which is of extremely simple and durable construction, adjustable to meet various conditions and requirements and adapted to be eectively operated and to be conveniently and readily controlled to carry out its intended purposes.

Other objects .and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a portion of the vertical shaft and the structure of the frame carried thereby; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view in plan showing the mode of use of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a rotatable vertical shaft which is journaled at its upper and lower ends in suitable bearings (not shown). A sorting table, designated generally at 11 is provided and includes a frame, designated generally at 12 and a pocket or compartment forming body, designated generally at 13.

The frame 12 includes a pair of hubs 14, these hubs being of similar construction and being fitted on the shaft 10. Each hub includes a body portion 15 and a keeper ring 16 spaced from and connected to the body portion by a plurality of radial arms 17 integral with or suitably secured to the 5, 1924. Serial No. 684,611.

body portion 15 of the ring 16. The hubs 14 are spaced from each other on the shaft 10 and are adjustabiy secured to and supported upon the shaft. Preferably the shaft 10 is provided with a` series of spaced transverse openings 18 and the body portion 15 of each hub includes a similar transverse opening 19. The hubs 14 may be adjusted along the shaft 10 so that their transverse opening 19 alines with any of the openings 18 of the shaft 10. lWith the openings of the hub 14 and shaft 10 so alined pins 2O are fitted in the alined openings to hold the hubs in adjusted position on the shaft. The frame 12 also includes a plurality of radially arranged, angularly spaced and horizontally disposed supporting bars 21. rThe inner end of each bar 21 carries a hook 22. The hooks 22 are engaged with the keeper ring 16 of the upper hub 14 and preferably the arrangement is such that one such hook 22 is engaged with the portion of the ring 16 coinprehended between each adjacent pair of arms 17. 1n this manner each supporting bar 21 is detachably connected to the upper hub 14. A. plurality of brace bars 23 are provided, there being one brace bar 23 for each supporting bar 21. Each brace bar 23 is provided with a longitudinal series of openings 24 adjacent its upper end and the supporting bars 21 are provided with a similar series of openings 25 intermediate their ends. rlfhe openings of the series 24 in the brace bars 23 are adapted to be selectively alined with the openings 25 of the supporting bars 21 and through the alined openings removable pins or keys 26, such as cotter pins or the like, are fitted and releasably secured. By this arrangement the upper ends of the brace bars 23 are adjustably connected to the supporting bars 21. The lower end of each brace bar 23 is notched or bifurcated as at 27 and the walls of the notches 27 fit around portions of the keeper ring 16 comprehend ed between adjacent arms 17 of the lower hub 14. 1n this manner the lower ends of the brace bars are detachably connected to the lower hub 14.

rlhe compartment or pocket forming body 13 consist of an annular or endless piece of fabric or other iiexible material which is laid upon the supporting bars 21 and releasably secured to these bars if desired. The sections or portions of the pocket forming member 13 comprehended between adjacent bars 2l falls into a trough or cup-like containers, designated at 28, and each such container is Well deined and isolated from adjacent containers by supporting bars 2l.

In use, the apparatus is arranged in units on each side of the line of delivery olf-the boxes of fruit from the orchard. An instance of such arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3 Where each unit is designated at A. The boxes containing the fruit which is delivered from the orchard are .designated at B and the packing benches at l?. rThe apples or other fruit contained in the boxes B are taken therefrom by the sorter and'distributed to their respective compartments or pockets provided in the several units or' the device. All compartments of each apparatus or unit are readily accessible since the sorting' table is turnable. rlhe. turnable mounting of the sorting table also renders the pockets or compartments 28 accessible to the packers. The szorters and packers may readily manipulate the sorting tables by grasping the extremities of the bars 2l and turning these tables from the portion of the bars thus grasped.

It is to be understood that the apples as picked are delivered in their boxes by a conveyor to the sorter, Who manually .sorts the. apples as to sizes and qualities by placing the various grades and sizes in their respective .containers or pocket-s in the sorting table. The sorted apples or' .other fruit are also delivered to the packers by means of the sorting table Which. is movable or turnable for this purpose.

I claim:

l. In combination, a rotatable .vertical shaft, and a sorting table ycomprising a frame carried by the shaft and including spaced horizontal bars, and an endless flexible pocket forming body supported upon the bars.

2. In combination, a rotatable vertical shaft, and a sorting table comprising a trame carried by the shaft and including spaced horizontal bars, and an endless fleX- ible pocket forming-body supported upon the bars, the outer endsl'of the bars of the frame projecting beyond the outer periph-r eral portion of the pocket forming the body and providing a means whereby the sorting table and shaft maybe rotated.I

3. In cnnbination7 a rotatable vertical shaft7 and a sorting table comprising 1 a trame including Vupper and lower hubs adjustably lined yto the shaft, spaced .hor-i zontal bars detachably connected to the upper hub and bracef bars adjnstably .connected to the horizonalbars and ,detachably connected to the lower hubyland an endless flexible pocket forming body sup-ported upon the horizontal bars.

In combination, `a rotatable vertical shaft, and a sorting table comprisinga frame including upper and lower hubs adjustably fixed to the shaft, said hubs Vhaving keeper rings, spaced horizontal bars Vhaving hooks engageable With the keeper ring of the upper hub, and brace bars adjustably .con-V nected to the horizontal bars and having their lower ends notched and engaged With the keeper ring of the lower hub, fand an endless flexible pocket :forming body supported upon the horizontal bars.

v ANDREW JOHNSON. 

